Three-stage fluidized-reduction process



Aug. 15, 1961 J. c. AG'ARWAL THREE-STAGE FLUIDIzEn-REDUCTION PROCESS Filed Maron 24, 1959 N SWNN 'in-the iirst o'r third steps or in the ore preheater.

United States Patent THREE-STAGE 'Ihis invention relates to an improved continuous direct reduction pro'cess for iron oxide in liuidized beds.

VIn a conventional continuous direct reduction process, preheated iron oxide iines are treated in one or more uidized Ibeds with ascending currents of preheated reducing gas, commonly hydrogen which can contain up to about 25 percent by volume CO. It is known that such processes advantageously can be conducted in two steps, a rst step in which higher oxides are reduced to FeO and a second step in which FeO is reduced to metallic iron. Spent reducing gas from.- the second step can be used as reductant in the iirst, since it retains capacity for reducing higher oxides after its constituents -approach equilibrium for reducing FeO. Such processes have a disadvantage that they do not readily remove more than about 90 percent of the oxygen originally present in the oxide, even though residence time of solids and gas in the second step is quite prolonged. For example, when one suchprocess is operated with a 6-foot bed in the second step (Feo-alie) and at a temperature of 1300 F., the product is 89 percent reduced and a 75 percent approach to equilibrium is obtained. Doubling the residence time for gas and solids inthe second step produces no signiiicant improvement, the product being about 90 percent reduced at a 78 percent approach to equilibrium.

To remedy this difficulty, it has been proposed to divide the step in which =Fc0 is reduced to metallic iron into two steps in ser-ies, making three reductionsteps in all, for example as shown in French Patent No. 1,058,821. The theory is that fewer non-reduced particles remain in the -flnal product, since FeO particles lwhich escape reduction in the middle step may be reduced in the third. However, I have found previous three-step processes of this type are impractical, if not actually inoperative, for failure to take into consideration the heat requirements. Reduction of iron oxide with hydrogen -is an endothermic reaction, and preferably all necessary heat is 'supplied by preheating both the oxide and reducing gas. The maximum temperature at which one can maintain a iiuidized bed of iron oxide particles reduced 90 percent or more without sticking is about 1300" F. The maximum temperature at which a bed of ore particles can fbe maintained is higher, but likewise limited. Consequently it is diicult to supply enough heat for the reaction in the middle step without heating the particles to a temperature at which they stick The chances of unreduced particles discharging from the third step are least when the bed depths 'and residence time of particles are the same in both the second and third steps, as shown in the prior art, yet my observation has been that such an arrangement cannot operate effectively without sticking.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved three-step uidized bed direct reduction process for iron oxide wherein the percentage b-y which ferrous oxide is reduced in the second and third steps -is apportioned in a novel -and critical way that produces successful operation.

A more specific object is to provide a process of the foregoing type wherein the percentage of reduction which takes place in the second and third steps is apportioned to control the heat requirements of these steps in a more ICE equitable and operable manner than in previous threestep processes.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a owsheet of a three-step reduction proc ess for i-ron oxide in accordance with my invention; and

-FIGURE 2 is a graph showing the time and heat required to reduce Fe203 with hydrogen at 1300 F. in a batch operation.

As shown in FIGURE l, my process includes three reduction steps in series, each conducted in a respective uidized bed. In the rst step I reduce higher oxide (indicated as FezOa) to a product predominantly FeO. In the second step I partially reduce this product to metallic iron. In the third step I further reduce the product from the second step to a product predominantly metallic iron. The apparatus can be of any suitable type in which ascending currents of reducing gas can lluidize iron oxide iines, as known in the art. The gas ows counter to the iron oxide nes, olf-gas from the third step being used as reductant lin the second, and olf-gas from the second ybeing used las reductant in the rst. I preheat the iron oxide iines tol about 1700 to 2200 F. before they enter the trst reduction step, and the gas to about 1300 to 1600 F; before it enters the third step, Iusing conventional apparatus. In the first step the reaction temperature is about 1350 to l550 lF., and in the second and third steps about l050 to 1300 F., which temperatures can be maintained Iwithout sticking.

The product discharging from the first step (predominantly FeO) is about 30 percent reduced, assuming the feed to be Fe203; that is, in this step I remove about 30 percent of the oxygen originally present in the iron oxide. In accordance with the present invention, l apportion the reduction which takes place in the second and third steps so that the heat requirements of these steps approach equality. I can eect such control with conventional apparatus by regulating the relative residence time or depths of theibeds of rfluidized solids in the two steps. For example, if I desirea residence time of 5.5 hours in the third step and 2 hours fin the second step, I adjust the apparatus so that the -bed depths are in the ratid 2.75 to 1.

The way in which I determine the relative bed depths or residence time of particles toI apportion the heat requirements of the second and third steps can best be explained by referring to `FIGURE 2. Curve A shows the percentage reduction plotted against reaction time in minutes, and curve B the percentage reduction plotted against B.t.u. per mol of Fe, both fo'r Fe203 reduced with hydrogen at 1300 F.. in a batch operation. Curve A shows that 30 percent reduction in the rst step takes about l5 minutes and curve B that 30 percent reduction requires about 6620 B.t.u. My method can achieve about 95 percent reduction in the final product. Curve A shows that 95 percent reduction takes a total of about 105 minutes, of-Whioh the second and third steps combined take about minutes, and curve B that 95 percent reduction requires a total of about 14,720 B.t.u., of which the second and third Steps combined require aboutV 8100 B.t.u.

When I divide the heat requirement equally between the second and third steps, each requires about 4050 B.t.u. Thus the rst andsecond steps combined require about 10,670 B.t.u.,a'n'd curve B shows 10,670 B.t.u. can reduce the starting material by about 6l percent. Curve A shows that 61 percent reduction takes about 39 minutes, of which the secondstep takes about 24 minutes. Thus the third step `takes the remainder of the time, or about 66 minutes.

The foregoing relationr for batch operation also applies to continuous operation, except that the absolute residence time in each step is considerably longer. For con- 'tinuous operation about 2 to 4 hours residence time is .required for the second step, .and 5.5 toY 11 hours for the third step. The reducing gas in the iii-st step is oi-gas which has lost most of its capacity to reduce FeO; hence -nozmore than'about 30 :percent reduction-canbe achieved in the rst step no matter how much this step -may be prolonged. The reduction achieved at the end of the sec- -ondstep .cannot be increased beyond about 265 percent, since the heat requirements for the second step lcannot be met. The advantage of three-step operation is lost if .the reduction achieved atr theend of the second step is less than about 50 percent. The optimum conditions for y'ditlerent starting materials or temperatures can be determined in a similar manner. Nevertheless the relation `of 30 percent reduction at the end of the tirst step, 50 to 65 percent reduction at the end ofthe second step, and up to 95 percent reduction at the end of the .third step Yis of general application.

VExample l As a specic example of my process conducted continuously in a commercial size installation, .minus l mesh Yenezuelan ore is predried to remove surface moisture and fed continuously at a rate of 71 tone an hour to a conventional fluidized bed preheater, where it is heated to 2170 F. This ore has a sticking temperature of about V.2300 F. and a composition about as follows:

Ore from the preheater feeds continuously to a series of three conventional uidized bed reactors, each 30 feet in diameter, where the respective reduction steps take place. YReducing gas is introduced continuously at a rate of l52,00() s.c.`f.m. to a conventional gas preheater where .it is heated to 1425 F. Initially the gas has a composition about as follows:

1.5% H2O 14.8% N2 and incr-ts Gas from the preheater is introduced continuously to third reactor, oit-gas from the third reactor to the second, and oit-gas from the second to the first. In accordance with usual practice cti-gas from the irst reactor is regenerated, a portion purged to limit build-up of inerts, fresh gas is added, and the mixture of regenerated and fresh gas goes to the gas preheater.

In the iirst :reduction step the operating temperature is `1525" F., the bed depth about 8 feet, and the product labout 30 percent reduced. In the second step the operat- -ing temperature is about 1300 F., the bed depth 4.5

total iron oxygen gangue ignition loss lfeet, and the product about 61 percent reduced. In the third step the operating temperature'again is 1300 F., the bed depth 12 feet, and the product about 95 percent reduced. The residence time of solids in the third step is about 8 hours at a reducing gas velocity of l to 5 feet per second, contrasted with a residence time in the second step of only about 2.9 hours. This relation distributes the heat requirement equally between the second and third steps. The product discharging from the'third rstep 'is cooled and agglomerated by conventional means.

i* Example II In another example of my process .the heat requirement is distributed between the second and third steps in the ratio of approximately 1 to 1.6. The quantities and compositions ofthe ore and reducing gas, theinitial gas temperature, and the flow of materials are the same-as in the lfeet and the product about 55 percent reduced. In the third step the operating temperature again is 1300fJ F., but the bed depth is now 13 feet, the residence time about 8.5 hours at 1.5 feet per second gas velocity, and the product again is percent reduced. For certain ores this heat distribution is preferable to the equal distribution of Example I, especially. for ores that stiekat temperatures a little above 2000 F.

From the foregoing description 'and examples itis seen that my invention affords ra practical and `operable threestep process for direct reduction of iron oxide. It is critical to the successful operation of such a process that the heat requirement be apportioned properly between the second and third steps. The priorzart, exempliiied by the aforementioned French patent, shows equal bed depths and residence time -in the second and third steps. This arrangement imposes radically unequal heat requirements, since the rate of reduction is substantially higher in the second step than in the third step. It the product of the iirst step is 30 percent reduced and the product of the third step 95 percent reduced, curve A of FIGURE 2 shows that equal bed depths in the second vand third steps would lead to about 82 percent reduction at the end of the second step. Curve B shows that the heat required in the second and third steps would be in the ratio of about 4 to l. Such heat distribution would necessitate operating the ore preheater at temperatures in excess of 2400 F. to furnish su'icient heat `for the reactions inthe second step. At such temperatures the ore sticks and the process is inoperable.

While I have described certain preferred ways of practicing my invention, it is apparent other modifications may arise. Therefore, I do not -wish to be limited to the Idisclosure set forth but only by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim: Y

1. A three-step continuous direct reduction process for iron oxide comprising passing preheated iron oxide fines through a series of three uidized beds, passing preheated reducing and Iliuidizing gas through said beds in series counter to the iron oxide, maintaining a temperature of about 1350 to l550 F. in the first bed and about 1050 to 1300" F. in each of the second and third beds, and controlling the reduction which takes place ineach bed so that the product passing to the second bed is predominantly FeO, the product discharging from the third bed is predominantly metallic iron, and the heat required for the reducing reactions in the second and third beds approaches equality.

2. A three-step continuous direct reduction process for iron oxide comprising passing preheated iron oxide fines through a series of three uidized beds, passing preheated reducing and fluidizing gas through said beds in series counter to the iron oxide, maintaining a temperature of about 1350? to 1550 F. in the first bed and vabout 1050 to 1300 F. in each ofthe second and third beds, and controlling the reduction which takes place in each bed so that the product passing to the second bed is about 30 percent reduced, the product passing tothe third bed is about 50 to 65 percent reduced, and :the product discharging from the third bed is up to about 95 percent reduced.

3. In a three-step continuous process for directly reducing iron oxide wherein iron oxide fines feed to a first fluidizing bed, a partially reduced product predominantly FeO passes therefrom to a second uidized bed, a further reduced product pass'es from the second bed to a third iluidized bed, a product predominantly metallic iron discharges'from the third bed, and a reducing and fluidizing gas passes through the beds in series counterl to the iron oxide, the reducing reactions in each bed heing endorthermic with the heat requirements supplied by preheating the iron oxide to a temperature of about 1700" to 2200 F. and the gas to atemperature of about 1300 to 1600 F., the improvement which comprises maintaining a temperature of about 1350 to 1550 F. in the first bed and about 1050 to 1300 F. in each of the second and third beds, and apportioning the bed depths and residence time of the partially reduced product in the second and third beds so that the heat required for tlhe reactions in these beds approaches equality and sticking is avoided.

4. A process as dened in claim 3 in which the further reduced product passing to the third bed is about 50 to 65 percent reduced.

5. A process as defined in claim 4 in which the partially reduced product has a residence time of about 2 to 4 hours in the second bed and about 5.5 to 11 hours in the third bed.

6. A process as Ideined in claim 4 in which the product discharging from the third bed is about 95 percent reduced.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,481,217 Hemminger Sept. 6, 1949 2,864,688 Reed Dec. 16, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 508,600 Belgium Feb. 15, 19'52 

1. A THREE-STEP CONTINUOUS DIRECT REDUCTION PROCESS FOR IRON OXIDE COMPRISING PASSING PREHEATED IRON OXIDE FINES THROUGH A SERIES OF THREE FLUIDIZED BEDS, PASSING PREHEATED REDUCING AND FLUIDIZED BEDS, PASSING PREHEATDDIN SERIES COUNTER TO THE IRON OXIDE, MAINTAINING A TEMPERATURE OF ABOUT 1350* TO 1550* F. IN THE FIRST BED AND ABOUT 1050* TO 1300* F. IN EACH OF THE SECOND AND THIRD BEDS, AND CONTROLLING THE REDUCTION WHICH TAKES PLACE IN EACH BED SO THAT THE PRODUCT PASSING TO THE SECOND BED IS PREDOMINANTLY FEO, THE PRODUCT DISCHARGING FROM THE THIRD BED IS PREDOMINANTLY METALLIC IRON, AND THE HEAT REQUIRED FOR THE REDUCING REACTIONS IN THE SECOND AND THIRD BEDS APPROACHES EQUALITY. 